TOYS FOR GROWNUPS

 Matthew Wages,  Alexa Devlin and. Ryan Allais

(photo by meche kroop)

We have no idea who was the intended audience for Victor Herbert's turn-of-the-20th c. hit musical Babes in Toyland nor are we experts in what is suitable for children these days.  All we can say is that we spent a most delightful hour with VHRPLive! which, regular readers will know, stands for Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live. We wish that this magical musical hour  had gone on longer!

Let us mention that there is nothing "naughty" that is unsuitable for children and, if you have any, it might be fun to bring them along. Of course, today's children are accustomed to snark and smarm so we dare not predict the extent of their interest.  But for those of us of the adult persuasion, it is very refreshing to watch a work so charming and innocent, played without a shred of condescension. What fun to awaken the child in oneself!

The main attraction is Mr. Herbert's memorable melodies. Contemporary composers could use a lesson from the prolific Mr. Herbert who penned enough operettas to keep VHRPLive! (celebrating its tenth anniversary) going for at least another decade. When is the last time you left a theater smiling and humming? We want to give credit to the late Dino Anagnost for compiling the score some three decades ago.

What is also quite wonderful is the manner in which Founder and Artistic Director Alyce Mott has revised the libretto to bring the story to its charming peak, as she usually does. Furthermore she has tinkered with Glen MacDonough's lyrics to great advantage, with contributions from Craig Timberlake and Mr. Anagnost.  We take umbrage when an opera director alters the original intent and setting of our beloved classic tragedies such that they make no sense. This is a completely different "story", so to speak. We sincerely believe that if Mr. Herbert had been in the audience he would have shared our delight.

The "book" is nothing like Pixar's film Toy Story. The characters are not toys, they are nursery rhyme characters that most of us recall from childhood. Here they are all assembled in an imaginary place called Toyland, under the supervisory eye of Mother Goose, portrayed by mezzo-soprano Alexa Devlin who was costumed exactly as we might have imagined her (no credit for costuming in the program).  Her warm sound introduced us to "Toyland" which is probably one of Herbert's more familiar songs.

The romantic couple comprised BoPeep andTom, Tom, the Piper's Son. Soprano Joanie Brittingham, a VHRPL regular, was adorable in the role which had her being both tearful and fearful, as she searched for her missing sheep. New to the company is tenor Ryan Allais as Tom, as wonderful a romantic lead as we could have hoped for. His singing and dancing were completely on point and we don't mean on point shoes!

The villain of the piece was an almost unrecognizable Matthew Wages whose mellow baritone was twisted into a nasty snarl as he portrayed Silas Barnaby, waving a foreclosing mortgage that threatens to put an end to Toyland. He was accompanied by two henchmen, the brainy Rodrigo, played by tenor Chaz Peacock and the brawny Gonzorgo, played by tenor Andrew Buck. 

Mr. Barnaby wants to marry BoPeep but...(we are not going to give away the plot but we were thinking of the last act of Falstaff).  Does the villain twirl his mustache?  Does he get his just desserts? You are going to have to find out for yourself. We hope you can snag tickets for the two remaining performances and you can thank us later.

You will enjoy the company of Humpty Dumpty (mezzo-soprano Sarah Bleasdale, Wee Willie (baritone Keith Broughton), Mary Mary Quite Contrary, doubling as a gorgeous butterfly  (soprano Gabriella Giangreco), Little Miss Muffet (Maggie Langhorne), tenor Joe Marx and soprano Kathleen Raab (both making their debuts with the company) as Jack and Jill, soprano Mariah Mueller as Curly Locks, baritone Zachary Wobensmith as Simple Simon, tenor Matthew Youngblood as Little Boy Blue, and the familiar veteran baritone David Seatter as Old King Cole. Mr. Seatter is a founding artist of the company and has never missed a performance. We always await his presence with anticipation.

As far as the music is concerned we delighted in the live orchestra under the baton of Maestro Michael Thomas. We might add that The Theatre at St. Jean's is a rare find, a mid-sized theatre with an orchestra pit and raked seating. Everyone gets an unobstructed view and perfect sound. There is some voluntary audience participation in the finale and if you want to participate, learn the words to "Toyland". In terms of clever lyrics, we were particularly fond of "I Can't Do the Sum".

The choreography by Christine Hall was simple and stylish, adding a great deal of interest, as did the colorful but uncredited costuming. 

© meche kroop

CYRANO DE BERGERAC

 Curtain call for Cyrano de Bergerac

We take the label "fan" to have derived from the word "fanatic". We have further observed that the happiest most productive people are those who immerse themselves in their passions. Alyce Mott, Founder and Artistic Directof of VHRPL!  must be one of the happiest people in New York. She has devoted most of her professional life to championing the works of Victor Herbert, the late 19th c. composer--so well known in his day and becoming more and more renowned since Ms. Mott established the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!

This is their 10th Anniversary Season and we have watched the audience grow from a small group of devotees at the sanctuary of a small church on the Upper 

West Side to a packed house in the far more commodious Theater at St. Jean's on the Upper East Side. The new home has a real proscenium stage and orchestra pit and gives these works the setting they deserve.

Last night we saw a work that, like most great works, produces both laughter and tears. It is difficult to imagine that the score to Herbert's Cyrano de Bergerac lay dormant for a century until Dino Anagnost of the Little Orchestra Society of New York joined forces with Ms. Mott for a rebirth of this neglected work. The most fascinating part of the story is that there was no libretto; but our intrepid Ms. Mott rose to the occasion and created one!  And that is what we saw and heard last night. This is only the second time the work has been performed.

Mr. Herbert's music is always delightful to the ear, but in this case he outdid himself and one sensed from the overture, replete with waltzes and marches, that we were in the hands of a musical genius. What we didn't expect was the felicitous marriage of music and lyrics--lyrics that rival those of W.S.Gilbert--but American in style. This delightful music was performed by a chamber group of musicians comprising the piano of William Hicks, augmented by violin, cello, string bass, flute, clarinet, and percussion--all brought together by Maestro Michael Thomas.

The work was effectively cast with singers who could act; they succeeded at drawing out the pathos of the story, leaving us with abundant thoughts about not being fooled by the surface of people but rather being open to perceiving their inner beauty.

As the swashbuckling arrogant Cyrano we heard VHRPL! LIVE regular Matthew Wages whose deeply resonant baritone and body language allowed us to see the sensitive insecure soul underneath. He carefully allowed us to see how he lived vicariously through the handsome Christian. There was no need for a fake nose! As his beloved cousin and childhood chum Roxane, we heard the lovely soprano Hannah Holmes who allows herself to be deceived by appearances until the final moment when we weep for her because it is too late and Cyrano is dying.

The role of narrator Comte de Guiche, a "frenemy" and rival to Cyrano we heard Jack Cotterell who inhabited the role with Gallic pomposity. As Roxane's beloved Baron Christian de Nuevillette we heard lyric tenor Ai Ra who created a character of meager verbal skills who can only win Roxanne with the soulful words of the poet Cyrano.

It is always a joy to see the veteran David Seatter as a baker and as the monk who is tricked into marrying Roxanne to Christian instead of to Comte de Guiche. New to the company and most welcome was Jesse Pimpinella as Montfleury. The chorus of cadets was excellent as were the ladies, although the women's chorus did not enunciate as clearly.  Of course we acknowledge that lyrics are more difficult to understand in the upper register.

Christine Hall's choreography was terrific, especially for the Musketeers. No one was credited for costuming which was minimal but not missed. The headgear, a few ruffles around the neck, some boots, and some swords were sufficient.

As far as the gorgeous musical numbers, we mostly enjoyed those with harmonizing voices--"Let the Sun of Thine Eyes" for Cyrano, Christian, and Roxanne; "Since I Am Not For Thee" for the same voices with considerable overlapping; and "The Call to Arms" for the entire company, at the end of which we heard the effective lower register of Mr. Wages' voice.

The final number "Those Were the Good Old Times" for Cyrano and Roxane was quite moving with the orchestra syncopated like a faltering heart. Music Director Michael Thomas did his customary excellent job conducting.

We admit that we enjoyed the work more than Alfano's opera, also written based on the same play by Rostand!

© meche kroop

THE RED MILL LIVES AGAIN

 The Red Mill by Victor Herbert, presented by VHRPL!

It is 1906 and Italian audiences are crying their eyes out over Puccini's Madama 

Butterfly; meanwhile, in New York City, audiences are laughing and reveling in the warm feelings of Victor Herbert's The Red Mill. This work had over 800 performances on Broadway and cemented Herbert's reputation as the Father of American Musical Theater. 

It is a delightful work and contains most of theater's favorite plot points.  There is a headstrong daughter who plots to marry the man of her choice whilst her obstinate father insists she marry to enhance his social standing. There is the young woman's passionate love for an impecunious young man. There is a secondary surprise pairing at the end. There is plenty of comic relief.

All of this joy is brought to you by The Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!, the Artistic Director of which, Alyce Mott, has devoted her artistic life to bringing Herbert's masterpieces to vivid life. All of Herbert's charming melodies are there as are the lyrics of Henry Blossom; but Ms. Mott has made notable improvements.

 Having read the original synopsis, we can appreciate what a labor of love it is to tighten up the plot, get rid of extraneous characters, and rewrite the spoken dialogue to appeal to contemporary audiences.  And appeal it did! The lovely Theater at St. Jean's was packed on opening night and the audience was giddy with joy. Women were humming the tunes in the ladies room during intermission! Finding this new home with raked seating and an orchestra pit opens the door for this nine-year-old company to become a major force in New York City's musical world.

The somewhat silly but ever-engaging story takes place in a mythical town in the Netherlands in which is situated the eponymous Red Mill, which seems to draw tourists by virtue of the legend of its being haunted. The innkeeper Berta (played by mezzo-ssoprano Alexa Devlin, a VHRPL! regular) has a hard time keeping employees and finds her inn overrun by struggling artists and their models (played by a sextet of fine young artists--Alonso Jordan Lopez, Sophie Thompson, Justin Chandler Baptista, Paige Cutrona, Keith Broughton, and Annie Heartney)-- freeloaders all.

She is planning the wedding of her niece Gretchen (played by the lovely soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith, also a VHRL! regular) daughter of her intransigent brother Jan van Borkem, the Burgomaster (ably played by another regular company member David Seatter). She is also dealing with two American conmen who try to slip away without paying their bill. One is named Con Kidder (Vince Gover) and the other, Kid Conner (Andrew Buck).  We kid you not! (insert ROFL emoji)

Gretchen's beloved, the seafaring Captain Dori van Damm ( the excellent Andrew Klima) arrives on the scene in the nick of time but winds up imprisoned by the Sheriff (John Nelson) and our lovely heroine winds up imprisoned in the Red Mill. Meanwhile comic relief is provided by the two Americans who have been pressed into service as waiter and tour guide, the latter purported to be multi-lingual. In a very funny scene, a French Countess (an hilarious Sarah Bleasdale) arrives on the scene and said "translator" must translate her French, which he clearly must invent on the spot. (We fondly recall this as an exercise in improvisation, one that is always enjoyed by the audience). Jonathan Fox Powers, another "regular" was seen as British solicitor Joshua Pennyfeather who carried off a running joke about wanting a cognac.

We could scarcely wait for the intended bridegroom to arrive on the scene. The Governor of Zeeland was portrayed in fine style by baritone Colin Safley who wowed the audience with one of the best numbers in the show "Every Day is Ladies Day with Me", the sexism of which was matched by the female lament "I'm Always Doing Something I Don't Want to Do", sung by Gretchen and Berta. 

Another number we particularly enjoyed was "Always Go While the Goin' is Good", sung by the two conmen. Another duet we liked was sung by the Burgomaster and the Sheriff--"You Never Can Tell About a Woman".

The romantic weight was carried by Gretchen and Dori in "I Want You to Marry Me" and "The Isle of Our Dreams". Perhaps the most memorable number was "The Streets of New York". Every voice in the show was superb and accompanied by fine acting. The afore-mentioned chorus of six harmonized well and knit the show together. 

We believe the score was adapted for a handful of instruments by Maestro Michael Thomas and we consider that a huge success inasmuch as nothing was lost and there was ample support for the singers.  He conducted his chamber orchestra with intention and line.  In the pit were violin, cello, bass, flute, clarinet, and percussion. The always wonderful William HIcks was at the piano where he has served for so many of VHRPL!'s productions.

Ms. Mott herself served as Stage Director with Maestro Thomas as Music Director.Christine Hall was responsible for the modest but effective choreography. The evening took us to our happy place and we do hope, dear Reader, that you can snag a ticket to experience such joy for yourself.

© meche kroop

MADELEINE

Shane Brown, David Seatter, Keith Broughton, JoAnna Geffert,
Claire Leyden, Jonathan Hare, Andrew Klima, and Thomas Woodman

There was much to enjoy in Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!'s production of the composer's 1914 one-act opera Madeleine. The talent onstage was excellent. The chamber orchestra played beautifully under the baton of Jestin Pieper. William Hicks' superb musicianship on the piano was augmented by violin, cello, bassoon, and harp. Alyce Mott's direction was on point, as usual.

Mr. Herbert's enormous contribution to the music theater canon is vast. He can be considered the source for American Musical Comedy. Few people know that he wrote two operas. After finishing the grand opera Natoma, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1911 (and was produced a century later by VHRPL!), he created Madeleine, with libretto adapted by Grant Stewart from a play by Decourcelles and Thibaut. Frankly, the words were dated and stilted, something one doesn't recognize when opera is sung in a foreign language.

Probably, the story was more charming in French. A highly narcissistic opera diva, much spoiled by suitors bearing gifts, is alone on New Year's Day. Every one of her suitors has declined her invitation to dine at her home because each one is dining with his mother. Even her maid has refused her. We guess that spending time with mama on New Year's Day was a French custom.

She throws a terrible tantrum and fires everyone. A visit from a good-natured childhood friend Didier restores her balance. Narcissists require a great deal of admiration and support, rarely considering the feelings of others. However, his invitation to dine with his humble family touches her. She considers the invitation but realizes what an intrusion it would be and stays home dining with a painting of her mother which Didier has restored.

It is evidence of the vocal and dramatic artistry of soprano Claire Leyden that we were able to care for this self-centered woman and to consider how narcissists act out their inner emptiness by manipulating and preying upon others.

As Didier we enjoyed the believable performance of baritone Jonathan Hare who has a lovely warm tonal quality. We remember well his charming portrayal of Figaro in Christman Opera Company's Il barbiere di Siviglia.

As the maid Nichette mezzo-soprano JoAnna Geffert created a lovely unselfish character to which she lent her finely textured instrument.

As the suitors we had three fine gentlemen--Andrew Klima, Keith Broughton, and Thomas Woodman--all of whom sang well and created interesting characters. 

The servants were effectively portrayed by Shane Brown and David Seatter, who has appeared in every single VHRPL! performance.

The musical scholarship that went into reducing this work for such an unusual combination of instruments impressed us. William Hicks spent a year and a half performing what one could call a "labor of love". All of Herbert's music was preserved with the lines distributed among the instruments. This "experiment" parallels Herbert's experiment in writing opera, indeed a huge pushing of boundaries all around.

Critics in 1914 were not enthralled with the work and we would be inclined to agree. The story was fine and character driven, whereas Herbert's operettas were story driven.  No problem there. The problem for us was the lack of tunes. What we have enjoyed of Herbert's operettas has been the luscious melodies and the set pieces of waltzes and marches as well as the chorus.  None of that here!

In a lecture by Ms. Mott, we learned of the influences upon this opera by Debussy, Strauss, Wagner, and Puccini--all composers we like. But we were unable to discern the leitmotifs for each character. Possibly if one were to listen to the opera several times it might have become apparent.

There were some musical moments that made the evening worthwhile. To have heard Ms. Leyden sing "When I am Happy" made us happy. Her crystalline soprano opened to a ringing top. For Didier's aria about the pursuit of elusive happiness, Mr. Hare's performance was affecting. We heard a lonely bassoon when he left.

The conclusion moved us, with piano and harp mourning the loss of Madeleine's own mother, whose portrait would be her dinner companion.

In sum, it was a worthwhile project to undertake and a rare opportunity to experience a musical titan pushing his own boundaries. We wouldn't have missed it for the world. We are looking forward, however, to VHRPL!'s resumption of operetta with Mlle. Modiste on May 5th and 6th!

© meche kroop

THE DEBUTANTE

The cast of Victor Herbert's The Debutante

Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! began their 6th season at Christ and St. Stephen's Church, having presented 15 glorious operas since their inception. Artistic Director Alyce Mott has found a winning way of presenting the legendary operettas of Victor Herbert; without altering a note of the music or a word of the lyrics, Ms. Mott manages to create a new libretto that tells each story in a cohesive and entertaining fashion, even when the original book failed or has become less than compelling with the passage of time.

Last night we attended the closing night of Herbert's 1914 The Debutante, a work just as wacky and wonderful as the others we've seen. The silly but entertaining plot is very much of its time with deception, jealousy, romantic rivalry and mistaken identity all playing their part.

The company is consistently wonderful. Not all 35 members appear in every performance but, as a regular attendee, we love seeing the same faces and hearing the same voices in one production after another. And what voices! Herbert's music is eminently singable with melodies pouring out treble over bass, ready to be sung and played to the delight of the audience.

As the headstrong and clever heroine Elaine, we heard the lovely songbird Claire Leyden--not just a splendid soprano but a marvel of convincing acting. Elaine has been promised at birth to Philip (the tenoriffic Drew Bolander) who was her childhood sweetheart; sadly he is no longer interested in marrying her, having become infatuated with the opera singer Irma, performed by the larger than life Alexa Devlin.

Philip is the son of the widowed American industrialist Godfrey Frazer (the excellent John Nelson) who has also adopted the young Elaine. He too is infatuated with Irma who lives in Paris. 

Trying every ruse known to operetta fans, Ezra Bunker tries to escape his bossy suffragette wife Zenobia to get to the same salon in Paris to premiere his "music of the future". He is portrayed by the reliably funny David Seatter, with the equally hilarious Vira Slywotzky as his wife. In a satiric moment, his "new music" sounds like some of the music being composed today, the kind we deplore. This marks Herbert as some kind of prescient visionary!

Also contending for Elaine's affection is the malaprop-spouting Marquis de Frontenac (played with high comedy by baritone Nathan Hull) who helps Elaine with her plot, and the handsome British Navy Lieutenant Larry Sheridan, soulfully sung and played by Christopher Robin Sapp.

The chorus comprised four naval officers, played by Jonathan Hare, Anthony Maida, Keith Broughton, and Shane Brown. On the female side we had Hannah Holmes, Stephanie Bacastow, Charlotte Detrick, and JoAnna Geffert. 

The action begins in Plymouth, England and ends in Paris at an artistic salon in which Scott Ballantyne portrays the famous cellist Testlavitz--and actually plays the cello quite beautifully.

Music Director Michael Thomas conducted effectively and William Hicks did his usual fine job playing a piano reduction of Herbert's score. And what a score it is! If we tried to tell you about all of the songs, we might be going on for several more pages but it is extremely difficult to select the best.

Mr. Sapp led the ensemble in "Love Is a Battle" in which we could truly appreciate Robert B. Smith's clever lyrics. He was also wonderful in "Peggy's a Creature of Moods" in which he gives an accurate description of a cyclothymic personality.

 "Married Life" gave Ms. Slywotzky and Mr. Seatter a chance to express very different views of their marriage. Ms. Leyden and Mr. Bolander had a charming duet in "The Golden Age", describing their happy childhood together.

Ms. Devlin played her role as a diva to the hilt in "When I Played Carmen". Ms Slywotzky got a side-splitting dancing lesson from Mr. Nelson who was disguised as a Spanish dancer.

What a sextet we heard in "The Face Behind the Mask"! The very operatic "Fate", sung by Ms. Leyden, Mr. Bolander, and Mr. Sapp led to a reprise of the same.

There were some unforgettable lines, especially when Mr. Seatter did a send up of opera, insisting upon scent as well as color in the vocal lines. And Irma, pursued by both father and son, uttered the following--"What am I, a family heirloom?" Priceless!

Emily Cornelius worked her customary magic as Choreographer. No one was credited as Costume Designer but there was no need. Women wore long gowns and the men wore naval uniforms or dinner jackets. Only Mr. Nelson was wildly dressed as some version of Escamillo.

Unfortunately, by the time you read this, it will be too late to see it. We have tried to give you as complete a description as possible. However, let us give you fair warning about the upcoming Madeleine which will be presented on March 3rd and 4th. We urge you to mark it on your calendar now, and to secure tickets as early as possible. As VHRPL! gains traction, tickets are getting ever harder to come by. This run was a sellout. Don't be among the disappointed!

© meche kroop

SWEETHEARTS

Sweethearts by Victor Herbert, brought to you by Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE!

At the beginning of the 20th century, when modernism began to undermine the basic grammar of music, some of the principles that underpinned the workings of opera inevitably came under attack, too. Those of us who have sat through some pretty tedious atonal bores find relief in the music of Victor Herbert who kept audiences entertained and delighted with silly stories and melodious music. Last night's Sweethearts was the perfect antidote to works liked only by academia.

His Sweethearts premiered in 1913, just before The Great War, with a libretto by Fred DeGresac and Harry B. Smith. As is usually the case, Artistic and Stage Director Alyce Mott has rewritten the libretto to make the story flow smoothly and to appeal to modern taste. Happily, she has not attempted to change the period and we are left free to form our own associations to today's mating behavior and romantic (mis)adventures. Even more happily, Herbert's engaging music has been preserved and given over to the New Victor Herbert Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Michael Thomas with the superb William Hicks at the piano.

The ensemble nature of the company allows us to appreciate the same voices at every production with some new ones thrown into the mix for good measure. Soprano Claire Leyden has a remarkable voice and charming onstage presence that made her performance of the lead role a true delight. The large voiced Vira Slywotzky, generally cast in matronly roles, always tickles us with her humorous delivery. In this case, the excellent Joanie Brittingham played the "bad girl" part whilst the fine soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith was joined by Caitlin Ruddy, JoAnna Geffert, and Emily Geller; they made excellent music together as Dame Paula's four daughters.

They open the story and set the stage right after Dame Paula's narration. You see, Dame Paula, also called Mother Goose, owns a laundry in Bruge where the sisters complain about ironing all day. They are always flirting with soldiers who soon appear--Al-Jabril Muhammad, Drew Bolander, Jonathan Hare, and Keith Broughton.

Adopted daughter Sylvia is in love with a rake, Lieutenant Karl (played to the hilt by Jack Cotterell), who is having a flirtation (one among many) with Liane, a millinery girl played by Ms. Brittingham. Dame Paula warns Sylvia about this rascal but, just like girls of today, she loves him anyway.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Zilania (the fine Jovani Demetrie) falls for Sylvia, not knowing that she is really the heir to his throne, something of which she is ignorant as well.

The story concerns the machinations and manipulations of all the people who would stand in her way--the hypocritical and grasping Mikel, a diplomat of Zilania (played by the very funny Jonathan Fluck); von Tromp, a German diplomat (portrayed by Matthew Wages) who wants to grab the land to build a casino; and Algernon Percival Cuthbert Slingsby (the superb veteran operetta performer David Seatter) who wants to marry the lost princess, whomever she may be, to impress his father.

Liane, a thoroughly nasty girl, is co-opted into the plan but gets what she deserves. The message is of course that the kindhearted folk win in the end and the grasping nasty folk lose out.  Order is restored, romance wins, and we leave with a smile. Of course. Balm for the spirits.

Ms. Mott directed with her customary astuteness and Susanna Organik contributed some delightful choreography, particularly the waltzes and the opening song "Iron Iron, Iron".  The hit tune of Act I "Sweethearts" became so famous that it led to Herbert fighting all the way to the Supreme Court to establish ASCAP!

Beside those, there were so many other delightful numbers. "Mother Goose" was filled with humor, sung by Sylvia and the other four daughters. Von Tromp led the men in singing "Pretty as a Picture" about how women enhance their appearance, a song just as relevant today as a century ago.

Dame Paula, Mikel, and the daughters were engaging in the humorous "What She Wanted..And What She Got". Mr. Seatter delivered the spoken dialogue of "I Don't Know How I Do It, But I Do" in the first example of a number spoken over an instrumental score. 

Ms. Leyden's gorgeous voice maximized the impact of "The Angelus", a tender prayer for guidance. When Prince Franz joins her you just know things will work out for them in the end.

Everything about the music and its performance was topnotch and we loved the combination of instruments in the New Victor Herbert Orchestra. Not only did we have Mr. Hicks' wonderful piano but violin, cello, string bass, flute, harp, and percussion.

This is the end of the fifth season of VHRPL during which 10 staged productions and five concerts have been offered. We are very gratified to have seen the audience swell to capacity. New Yorkers know a good thing when they see/hear it. 

We got a peek at next season's productions and are giving you fair warning, dear readers. If you hope to see what this wonderful company can accomplish, be prepared to get your tickets in advance. It would be a shame to be shut out of such glorious glee!

(c) meche kroop

FALLING IN LOVE WITH VICTOR HERBERT

Matthew Wages, Alexa Devlin, Jovani Demetrie, Claire Leyden, Andrew Klima, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Seatter, and Joanie Brittingham

The world needs people with obsessions, people who care deeply about something and want to share it with others. Alyce Mott is just such a person. As Founder and Artistic Director of Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! , she is making sure that Victor Herbert's substantial legacy will not be forgotten. His music is timeless and melodic, having provided inspiration for composers such as Irving Berlin and Jerome Kern. If only contemporary composers would listen and be inspired!

Last night's program was a compilation of his love songs; the air in Christ and St. Stephen's sanctuary was filled with romance. The superb performer and baritone David Seatter served as narrator, wittily introducing the various sections about longing for love, missing love, awakening love, and curiosity about love. What other composer wrote enough love songs to fill an entire evening!

Music Director Michael Thomas provided the excellent accompaniment for the evening and the singers included the dapper David Seatter himself as well as sopranos Sarah Caldwell Smith, Joanie Brittingham, and Claire Leyden; mezzo-soprano Alexa Devlin; tenor Andrew Klima (new to VHRPL); baritone Jovani Demetrie; and bass Matthew Wages. They sang in various combinations and maintained a true ensemble feeling throughout.

Every song was a gem and no doubt every member of the packed house had his/her own favorites. We will mention a few of ours.

Mr. Klima was at his best in "Mary Came Over to Me" and we found our heart touched by the story of a young man from Ireland who was finally able to bring his sweetheart over to join him. There must have been many stories like that one and probably other songs but this was one that stayed with us.

The last time we heard Ms. Smith and Ms. Leyden sing "For Better or for Worse" in a performance of Princess Pat, we thought the harmonies rivaled those of Délibes in "Dôme épais", a real treat. We were thrilled to revisit it.

Ms. Leyden gave a beautiful performance of "The Angelus" from Sweethearts which will be presented April 30 and May 1, with orchestra. We can scarcely wait for it! She was joined by Mr. Demetrie and the entire company, giving us a great taste of what we can look forward to.

We didn't know that Herbert wrote a show about Cyrano de Bergerac with lyrics by Harry B. Smith, but the excerpt we heard "Let the Sun of Thine Eyes" was filled with humor as Mr. Wages as Cyrano sang a line beautifully  and Mr. Klima as Christian repeated it as unartistically as possible, trying to impress Ms. Leyden. 

Ms. Smith had a lovely solo in "Where the Fairest Flow'rs are Blooming" from Babette, which allowed her to show off her gorgeous coloratura in a prolonged vocalise. From the same show Ms. Devlin and Mr. Wages had a clever duet in which he was arrogant and she was resistant.

From The Debutante, Ms. Leyden and Mr. Demetrie had a cute duet "Never Mention Love When We're Alone", enhanced by some of Susanna Organek's graceful choreography.

From The Wizard of the Nile, Harry B. Smith's clever lyrics for "What is Love?" were given a sprightly melody by Mr. Herbert; Ms. Leyden portrayed the innocent girl questioning the wise senior of Mr. Seatter.

The four men created a delightful ensemble for "My Fair Unknown" from Miss Dolly Dollars. Again we found Mr. Smith's lyrics clever and charming.

Ms. Brittingham had several lovely solos which showed off her bright resonant sound but we favored "When Love Awakes" from Eileen.

Ms. Devlin's superb solo involved some reading of the cards in " 'Neath the Southern Moon" from Naughty Marietta.

The program closed with "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" with the entire company filling the sanctuary with joyous sound.

With our focus so heavily on opera, we might never have discovered this treasure trove of tunes from the turn of the 20th c. and for this we are extremely grateful to Ms. Mott. Long live Victor Herbert!

(c) meche kroop

ORANGE BLOSSOMS

JoAnna Geffert, Jonathan Fox Powers, Sarah Caldwell Smith, David Seatter, Joanie Brittingham, Bray Wilkins, Alexa Devlin, and Drew Bolander

Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! is focusing its fifth season on (hold your breath)...LOVE! And we just loved its production of Victor Herbert's 1922 "play with music" Orange Blossoms. Artistic Director Alyce Mott has called upon her usual literary magic to adapt the libretto written by Fred De Gresac (the gifted female librettist responsible for several of Herbert's best works.

Ms. Mott has called the work a "play with music" because it lacks an overture and no grand finale. That's putting a rather fine point on it since the work has all the sparkling melodies we want in an operetta and a typically silly but enchanting plot.

Lawyer Brassac (played by David Seatter, the always splendid veteran performer of operetta) has a lovely but penniless goddaughter named Kitty (played by the charming VHRPL! regular Joanie Brittingham. She won the hearts of the audience with her ballad "A Kiss in the Dark" in which she recalls a man who won her heart and vanished.

He also has a client/friend, the pompous Baron Roger Belmont (played with high humour by company regular Bray Wilkins). Have you guessed who her vanishing lover might be?

Baron Belmont is engaged to the histrionic and affected Helene De Vasquez (performed in high camp by Sarah Caldwell Smith) but cannot marry her because he will lose his inheritance. It is up to Brassac to find a solution and he does. He plots to marry off his goddaughter to the Baron in a mariage blanc. 

The Baron will support Kitty in fine style and then, having secured his inheritance, will divorce her and marry his demanding Helene. Pretty racy for 1922! The plot twists and turns are enhanced by clever lyrics set to memorable melodies.

The principals sang beautifully and were convincing in their portrayal of stereotypes, enhancing their portrayals with individualizing quirks.

As if that weren't enough, the plot is rounded out with some delightful characters who were also perfectly portrayed. Alexa Devlin, using an hilarious Brooklyn accent, enacted the secretary Tillie. Her inamorata Jimmy Flynn was performed by company regular Drew Bolander who works for the jealous Helene as a detective, pretending to be a gardener who talks about thorns on the carnations!

The always wonderful Jonathan Fox Powers made a fine and funny butler Auguste, flirting with Ninetta, the maid, played by JoAnna Geffert. A duel between Auguste and Jimmy had us in stitches.

Not only does Ms. Mott do an excellent job of modernizing the spoken dialogue, but she also directs with a firm hand. The company choreographer Emily Cornelius staged some lovely numbers for the chorus, comprising Jenny Lindsey, Alexa Clint, Elisabeth Slaten and Susan Case (various clients of Brassac) and their suitors (Colm Fitzmaurice, Quintin Harris, and Keith Broughton).

Maestro Michael Thomas kept the music flowing whilst William Hicks provided the piano accompaniment. We started out placing stars next to our favorite musical numbers but wound up starring everything!

We loved the funny duet between Tillie and Jimmy--"New York is the Same Old Place" in Act I--almost as much as we enjoyed their Act II duet "Way Out West in Jersey". Mr. Bolander had a frisky and funny solo as well, entitled "J.J. Flynn".

The ensemble had a great number as well--"Let's Not Get Married" with the line "That's where happiness ends".  Oh, those Roaring Twenties!  We have a feeling that Herbert got them off to a roaring start!

We don't ever want to miss any of VHRPL!'s productions so we have already entered them in our calendar.  And so should you! "Falling in Love" will be scheduled for February 26 and 27. "Sweethearts", which also has a libretto by Fred De Gresac, will be scheduled for April 30 and May 1.  All performances are at Christ and St. Stephen's Church and tend to sell out. Don't miss your chance for these highly entertaining evenings.

(c) meche kroop

ENCHANTED BY THE ENCHANTRESS

The cast of Victor Herbert's The Enchantress

Our enthusiasm for the oeuvre of Victor Herbert is exceeded only by that of Alyce Mott-- Founder, Stage Director, and Librettist of the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! Ms. Mott has devoted her life to this composer, and the last four years to producing a dozen musicals written by this prolific composer who delighted early 20th c. audiences with his Broadway shows. He could be considered the Rossini of his time and place.

The fact that he can delight 21st c. audiences with his music is testament to his compositional joie de vivre. It is true that Ms. Mott has written new libretti for the operettas she has produced, but the songs are the real McCoy.

The plots are quite silly by contemporary standards but that only contributes to our delight. The roles are always well cast and sung, the choreography delightful, the direction right on point. And now the performances are even better, due to the presence of a "salon orchestra"--what today would be called a chamber orchestra--conducted by Michael Thomas.

The plot that so enchanted us last night involved an impossible romance between the Prince of Zergovia and the beautiful Vivien, made possible by a plot device equivalent to a "hail Mary pass" on the football field.

Prince Ivan, performed by terrific tenor Tom Carle, risks the survival of his nation by his womanizing. The sinister Regent, Prince Miloch (Brian Kilday) would like to take over, with the assistance of the slimy Minister of War Ozir (Drew Bolander). Their plotting against him is continually hilarious.

Trying to protect the Prince are his tutor Poff (the always enjoyable David Seatter) and Troute, the head of the Secret Service (Jovani Demetrie).

Five princesses are vying for the Prince's attention. Pardon our rambling association but we thought we had wandered into Act II of Swan Lake! And then "Odette" appears in the person of the beautiful and sought-after Vivien, sung by the beautiful and sought-after Claire Leyden, who has a magnetic stage presence and a crystalline soprano with an appealing vibrato. She captures the heart of the fickle prince. And the hearts of the audience as well.

She is a commoner and the Prince cannot marry her. Will he abdicate? We speculated that the original librettists (Fred De Gresac and Harry B. Smith) might have been inspired by the love-fueled abdication of King Edward VIII of England but this could not be so. Wallace Simpson was only a teenager when the operetta premiered in 1911.

Complicating the plot is the arrival of a wealthy American woman named Marian who wants to use the money of her lard king father to buy herself a title. Soprano Joanie Brittingham did a great job creating this character, complete with a broad Midwestern accent and exaggerated American mannerisms.

More comedy was provided by Vivien's aunt Mamoute, played by soprano Vira Slywotzky with impressive comic chops. Apparently aunt and niece are one step away from poverty and the plan is for Vivien to snag a wealthy husband.

As usual in these productions, the chorus adds much to the proceedings. The female chorus comprised the five hopeful princesses--Haley Vick, Jane Hoffman, Sonora Dolce, JoAnna Geffert, and Susan Case.

The male chorus comprised Colm Fitzmaurice, Andrew Troup, and Jonathan Fox Powers.

We particularly enjoyed the love duet "Rose, Lucky Rose", Prince Ivan's aria "The Best Little Girl Is You", and Vivien's aria "To the Land of My Own Romance". Jane Hoffman performed a song entitled "Art is Calling for Me" which we recognized as the oft heard "encore song"--"I Want to Be a Prima Donna".  Just to think that we never knew where it came from!!  Indeed!  Now we know.

If we continue telling all the numbers we enjoyed, we will have named them all! But let's just mention one more which brought down the house--"Come to Sunny Spain", sung by Mr. Demetrie (disguised as a Spanish nobleman) and Ms. Slyvotzky who was so tragically ready to be seduced. Susan Organek choreographed their flamenco inflected dance, as well as the many captivating waltzes.

Over the past four years we have observed the growth of the audience and the evolution of a repertory company. Mr. Seatter and Ms. Slywotzky are founding members and several other artists joined the company over the past three years. 

Others made their debuts this year. Ms. Leyden brought charm and freshness, as well as a stunning voice, to the production. Many of the artists are known to us from other companies. It is always fun to see what artistry singers bring to different roles.

Next year will be VHRPLive!'s fifth season and the theme is Season of Love. We will be looking forward to Orange Blossoms, Love Songs, and Sweethearts.

(c) meche kroop

THE RED MILL

Alyce Mott and the cast of Victor Herbert's The Red Mill

The Red Mill has turned and as it turned it changed a very cranky reviewer into a smiling member of a joyful audience.  Such is the power of art.  We do believe that "entertainment" and "art" can be synonymous. Today's audience might not consider an operetta from a hundred years ago to be a form of entertainment but, dear reader, trust us on this one.

We were transported back in time to an era when telegrams were novel and were called "magic letters". How welcome this was when our day was spent dealing with a recalcitrant printer and unhelpful tech support. For two hours we were immersed in good humor, romantic longings, and ultimate fulfillment. What could be more soothing!

The enormous popularity of Victor Herbert's musical entertainments can be attributed to his gift for melody and his astute choice of librettist. Henry Blossom provided an enchanting story and wrote dialogue and lyrics that fit the music like glove to hand. Somewhere in between the late 19th c. association between Gilbert and Sullivan and the mid 20th c. Rogers and Hammerstein, we have an artistic partnership that delighted early 20th c. audiences in similar fashion.

The work premiered in 1906 on Broadway and was revived in 1946. Alyce Mott, Founder and Artistic Director of Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE! has tweaked the operetta with some seamless writing and the insertion of some reprises which were not in the original.  Extraneous characters were removed to good advantage.

The charming story will be familiar to those who recall the pre-feminist era. A father is marrying his daughter off to a man who will enhance the father's position. She is in love with a ship's captain and is determined to undermine her father's intentions.  In this she is supported by her widowed aunt and aided by the ridiculous rascals Kid Conner and Con Kidder, who supply much of the comic relief, especially when convincing Papa that they are Sherlock Holmes and Mr. Watson!

Regular audience members, such as we are, are delighted to see the same beautiful faces and hear the same beautiful voices in each production.  This consistency attests to successful casting. As Gretchen, the lovelorn daughter, we heard the scintillating soprano Sarah Caldwell Smith; as the helpful Aunt Berta, we heard soprano Vira Slywotzky, whose generous soprano made a lovely contrast with Ms. Smith's. We adored their duet "I'm Always Doing Something I Don't Want to Do" which speaks volumes about female subjugation.

The male leads were just as well cast and performed.  Tenor Christopher Robin Sapp lent his sweet tone and fine phrasing to the role of Dori van Damm, the sea captain loved by Gretchen. As the conniving pair of swindlers we had the very funny Drew Bolander and Matthew Wages.  We loved their duet "Always Go While the Goin' is Good".

As the controlling Burgomaster of Katwyk-ann-Zee, Gretchen's father, we heard the fine Anthony Maida with Shane Brown portraying the sneaky Sheriff who wants to do Aunt Berta the favor of marrying her.  That was a "no go"!

The brilliant veteran performer David Seatter delighted us as the very nice Governor whom Gretchen doesn't marry, and if you can guess whom he does want to marry, we will invite you to VHRPL!'s next show.

The smaller role of British Solicitor Joshua Pennyfeather was taken by Brian Kilday with much humor spent on his vain attempt to relate his mission, an attempt which was ignored until the very end, lending a delightful twist. Alexa Devlin portrayed a French Noblewoman with a French accent as silly as Mr. Kilday's British accent.

No Victor Herbert musical would be complete without a chorus and what a well-rehearsed chorus we had last night, with every word clear to the ear.  That was most fortunate because the words are so clever! The female chorus was meant to be "models"--Joanie Brittingham, Tanya Roberts, and Hannah Kurth. The male chorus was meant to be "artists"--Jonathan Fox Powers, Daniel Greenwood, and Jonathan Heller.

Highlights of the evening included (but were not limited to) Gretchen's aria "If He Loved But Me" and her duets with the Captain "I Want You to Marry Me" and "The Isle of Our Dreams". Ms. Smith and Mr. Sapp sounded sensational together. The other hit was "Because You're You", sung by Berta and The Governor.  Uh-oh!  We have given it away.  We should have included a "spoiler alert"!

Ms. Mott directed with her customary excellent taste whilst Music Director Maestro Michael Thomas did his fine work with baton in hand. William Hicks played the piano reduction with panache. Emily Cornelius' choreography was charming and period appropriate. 

We would like to point out that the company will perform "The Enchantress" in April with a live orchestra! You can even make a donation to sponsor one of the musicians.

But you don't have to wait until Spring. You can enjoy Ladies First, a concert honoring Victor Herbert's leading ladies, in February.  Even better, you can catch tonight's performance of The Red Mill at Christ and St. Stephen's Church. Even if you didn't have a stressful day you will have a great time!

(c) meche kroop

GETTIN' YER IRISH UP

The lassies: Joanie Brittingham, Vira Slywotzky, and Katherine Corle
The lads: Jason Robinette, Ross Brown, Anthony Maida, David Seatter, Richard Holmes and Jovani McCleary

No, no, no, we are not angry.  Au contraire, we are absolutely tickled with our evening spent with Victor Herbert Renaissance Project LIVE! about whom we have written before.  VHRPL is celebrated for bringing the works of this early 20th c. composer to lively life. Last night's concert, in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day, presented a selection of his songs celebrating his Irish heritage.  Imagine the shock of finding out that Mr. Herbert probably never set foot in Ireland, a rather new discovery!

Still, he had an Irish soul, thanks to his mother and maternal grandfather with whom he lived for a period in England. As a matter of fact, he set some of his grandfather's poetry and we were fortunate to hear some of Samuel Lover's text, one of which was sung by the excellent and versatile soprano Vira Slywotzky (one of the founding members of VHRPL) who also narrated the evening with great style and dulcet tone. The song, entitled "Angel's Whisper" was based on the legend that when a baby smiles in his/her sleep it's because of conversation with an angel.  In the song, which touched our heart, a mother is reassured about the safety of her mariner husband when her baby smiles.  Awwww!

Mr. Lover also wrote humorous songs and we just loved "The Birth of St. Patrick" which described the embattled Irish temperament with two camps disagreeing about the date St. Patrick was born. A diplomatic priest added the two dates together and came up with the 17th, thus solving the problem. Too bad "the troubles" could not have been so easily sorted out! The song was performed by tenor Anthony Maida and baritones Jovani McCleary and David Seatter.

Another favorite of ours involving the grandfather's poetry was the romantic "Live in My Heart and Pay No Rent", for which the versatile fellow also wrote the music. Mr. Maida gave it a fine performance.

Of all the gentlemen, the one whose timbre was closest to what one expects in an Irish tenor was Jason Robinette, whose delivery of "Mary Came Over to Me" touched the heart with the joy of a reunion of two lovers when the woman finally arrives in America.

Tenor Ross Brown shone as the Irish Don Juan in "Barney Maguire" from Mr. Herbert's 1906 show "Miss Dolly Dollars". The charming choreography by Director/Choreographer Emily Cornelius brought in the lovely sopranos Joanie Brittingham and Katherine Corle.

The ensemble work was in every instance delightful, particularly when all six men joined in for the drinking song "The Cruiskeen Lawn" which was performed a cappella. The admirably crisp enunciation we had enjoyed in solo pieces carried over and we understood every rowdy word of this folk song arranged by Mr. Herbert.

We wish to alert our readers to the upcoming performance of Herbert's 1917 operetta Eileen on April 25th and 26th because the songs on last night's program taken from that show were so special. If you've never heard "My Little Irish Rose", you will be enchanted. Ms. Corle sang it beautifully. There were three other songs from the show on the program, all memorably melodic. Notably, Eileen will have an orchestra!

Some of the songs were about Ireland's struggle for freedom from oppression and some were about the contributions of the Irish to America's cause in The Great War.

There was still more to interest the listener. Adding to Herbert's Irish heart were the skills of composition that he learned growing up in his father's Germany. Ireland had never produced a song cycle before and Mr. Herbert wrote one entitled The Bards of Ireland which was performed in 1908 for the Society of Friends of the Sons of Ireland. Thomas Moore's lyrics to Old Irish Airs were arranged by Mr. Herbert. We make no claims that this cycle rivals those of Schubert and Schumann but it was surely a treat to hear a work that was never published.  Leave it to Artistic Director Alyce Mott!

Strangely, however, our favorite part of this song cycle was the piano solo "Lament for Owen Roe O'Neill" played on the piano by Music Director Michael Thomas. Sometimes words are superfluous. Baritone Richard Holmes gave a lovely performance of "Remember the Glories of Brien the Brave".

We believe it is important, particularly at this time in our history, to acknowledge the contributions made to the USA by the Irish. Every ethnic group that has come to our great nation has been at first despised, later accepted, and eventually celebrated.  Let us not forget that!  It's time to make America great again!  Yes, by welcoming immigrants.  And you can quote us on that one!

(c) meche kroop

SERENADE ME!

Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live!

We wish more opera lovers were aware of the joys of operetta. The art form is part of American musical history and laid the foundation for the American Musical. They provided grand theatrical entertainment for both Americans and Austrians of la belle époque. Their plots are delightfully silly and their music is gloriously tuneful.

King of the composers of operetta was Victor Herbert, who was born in Ireland and raised in Germany; he composed his great hits in the USA around the turn of the 20th c.  For bringing his works to the attention of New Yorkers, we have Alyce Mott to thank; her visionary stewardship of the Victor Herbert Renaissance Project Live! has resulted in an ever-growing audience.  Last night, Christ and St. Stephen's church was packed to the very last pew with adoring fans.

Last night's production of The Serenade, Herbert's second big Broadway success, employed the original libretto from 1897 by Harry B. Smith. The preposterous situation involves a Duke (the wildly funny David Seatter) who is so possessive of his flirtatious ward Dolores (the stunning Vira Slywotzky) that he is ready to murder anyone of whom he is suspicious.  The running joke is that the beautiful "serenade" is sung by almost everyone in the show at one time or another.

Dolores is in love with Alvarado (the wonderful Bray Wilkins), a star of the Madrid Opera who has won her with his "serenade". Also in love with her is the tone-deaf tailor Gomez (the effective Brian Kilday) who gets a singing lesson from the retired tenor Colombo (the hilarious Glenn Seven Allen). With three characters like this, one can just imagine the hilarity of the has-been teaching the never-will-make-it!

Colombo has a beautiful daughter Yvonne (performed by coloratura Natalie Ballenger, who IS beautiful, both in appearance and voice). We don't get to find out whom she will marry until the very end.

Meanwhile we get exposed to the Royal Madrid Brigands Association with their pop-guns. In a move worthy of W.S. Gilbert, they become politicians at the end. As a matter of fact, in his skill with wordplay and rhyming, Mr. Smith comes close to Mr. Gilbert. But Mr. Herbert's music owes no debt to any other composer.

Our funny bone was tickled by the hijinks of hiding in cloister and monastery and by the changing of costumes between Yvonne and Dolores, which fools the near-sighted Duke. Our ears were tickled by the gorgeous singing.

Led by Stephen Faulk (who had a stunning ballad toward the end-- "I Envy the Bird") and by Matthew Wages, the group of brigands included Daniel Greenwood, Drew Bolander, Jovani McCleary, and Seph Stanek. Their choral numbers were finely handled and exhibited good English diction. We particularly enjoyed their rendition of the "serenade".

The female chorus was also fine--Angela Christine Smith, Sarah Caldwell Smith, and Chelsea Friedlander--all nuns led by Mother Superior Katherine Corle. It was a bit more difficult to understand their words, as it usually is with higher voices.

Some highlights of the evening included Mr. Seatter's patter song "A Duke of High Degree", the female chorus' number "In Our Quiet Cloister" (which was rhymed with "oyster"), and Dolores and Alvarado's duet "Don Jose of Seville". One very special aspect of VHRPLive! is that they are an ensemble company and one gets to enjoy the same wonderful artists in different roles.

Alyce Mott did a swell job as Stage Director and Music Director Michael Thomas not only conducted but sounded the chimes, as William Hicks played the piano score, which was compiled by Dino Anagnost.

We are already planning to enjoy more of VHRPLive! next year but you can still catch them this year since The Serenade has one more performance tonight at 8:00.

(c) meche kroop